International Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology.

ISSN 2249-3085 Volume 13, Number 1 (2023), pp. 11-19

© Research India Publications
https://dx.doi.org/10.37622/IJEET/13.1.2023.11-19

LPG Gas Leakage Detection and Alert System

Dr. G. Annapurna
Professor, Electrical & Electronics Engineering Department
G. Narayanamma Institute of Technology and Science, Hyderabad, India
email: [email protected]

A. Lasya Priya, B. L. Malvika, Sofia Tahreem, V. Juhitha and B. Neha

Students, Electrical & Electronics Engineering Department
G. Narayanamma Institute of Technology and Science, Hyderabad, India
email: [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected]

Abstract

This project aims to develop a system which is capable of detecting LPG gas
leaks. This proposed gas detection system detects various gases such as
propane, butane, propene, and butene, which are very harmful to the
surroundings. After the sensor detects a gas leak, it sends the signal to the
Arduino NANO for further processing. The Arduino NANO sends the signal
to the buzzer, which then turns on to warn people in the area. It also cuts off
the power to the equipment via a relay and simultaneously turns on the exhaust
fans to remove harmful gases from the environment. The system also displays
the gas concentration on the LCD and sends a warning notification to the user
via the GSM module.

Keywords: Arduino nano, exhaust fans, GSM module, Relay.

INTRODUCTION
Gas leakage is one of the major problems and in recent days, it is observed in many
places including residences, industries, and gas-operating vehicles like CNG buses,
cars, etc. Dangerous mishaps are observed to occur as a result of gas leaks. Since LPG
is extremely flammable, it can burn even at a considerable distance from the site of the
leak. This energy source principally consists of the extremely combustible chemical
molecules propane and butane. In homes, LPG is primarily used for cooking purposes.
When a leak occurs, the leaked gases may lead to an explosion. Accidents caused by
gas leaks result in both material loss and human injuries. The threat of home fires has
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been on the rise in recent years, resulting in an increased risk of human death and
property damage. In order to prevent harm to the public, gas leaks should be detected
and controlled. Hence gas leakage detectors are essential for detecting leaks and
protecting people from danger. In this paper, a low-cost advanced sensor-based gas
leakage detector and alert system is proposed.

Figure 1: Block Diagram

OBJECTIVES
1. The system should detect gas outflows like LPG leaks or any such petroleum
centred on a gaseous substance that should be discovered using a sensor.
LPG Gas Leakage Detection and Alert System 13

2. The system should send the user an alert message and display the concentration
on the screen.
3. The system should turn on the exhaust fans i.e it must let the fresh air in using the
inlet fan and the gas should be sent out using the outlet fan and also the power
supply to home appliances like lights and fans should be cut off.

LITERATURE SURVEY
1. In the year 2015, Arun Raj, Athira Viswanathan and Athults developed a system
which uses a gas sensor to detect leakage of LPG and alert the owner via SMS. It
also monitors the level of LPG in the cylinder and informs the owner via SMS
and LCD if it is below the threshold limit. Additionally, an automatic reservation
of the gas bottle is made with the help of a GSM module.
2. Later in the year 2020, M. Hima Jyothi, K. Devika, K. Krishna Tulasi, G. Ramya
and CH. Vijay Kumar designed a project to implement leak detection safety
measures. Residents receive alert messages when there is a leak, and if the
strength of the leakage rises, alert messages are also sent to the fire station and
nearby neighbours, and a buzzer and LCD display are activated for emergency
rescue.
3. In the year 2021, K Gavaskar, D Malathi, G Ravivarma, and A Arulmurugan,
developed an LPG Leakage Detection Alert and Auto Exhaust System using IoT.
This research project uses a solenoid valve, fumes fan, LCD, IoT, and fixed load
cell to identify gas spills and control it. It offers speedy response times and precise
crisis identification, and booking of LPG may be made through the application.

COMPONENTS REQUIRED
Hardware Requirements:
Arduino NANO Microcontroller, 16x2 LCD Display, 12v dc power supply, 5v
Regulated CKT, Buzzer, LPG Gas sensor, GSM Module, GSM Sim.

Software Requirements:
Arduino IDE, Language C++
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CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Figure 2: Circuit Diagram

WORKING
This LPG Gas Detection and Alert system consists of four main modules. In the first
module, the MQ-2 gas sensor is used to determine the status of the LPG gas level in the
surroundings. The sensor system consists of platinum wires and a tin dioxide (SnO2)
coating, that works as the sensing element. Oxygen is adsorbed on the surface when the
SnO2 semiconductor layer is heated to a high temperature. An electron depletion layer
forms just below the surface of the SnO2 particles, when electrons from the conduction
band of tin dioxide attract oxygen molecules in clean air. This results in the SnO2 film
becoming highly resistive and preventing electric current flow. Consequently, electrons
are released into the tin dioxide, allowing current to flow. The second module consists
of an Arduino Nano, a microcontroller that acts as the central system and communicates
with the various connected systems. Here, the microcontroller takes input from the gas
sensor in the form of voltage and performs the necessary calculations. When the LPG
gas level rises above a set value, the microcontroller sends the signal to the prevention
and alarm system. The gas level is displayed on the LCD screen. In this project, a
threshold value of 400 ppm is considered. LPG gas can ignite in the presence of a flame
when its concentration in the air is between 2-10 %, which corresponds to
approximately 2000 ppm. Since the measurement of this value is prone to error, the
detection sensor is calibrated to trigger at 20 % of the lower threshold. The third module
is the prevention system. This part consists of an L293D motor driver, exhaust fans and
LPG Gas Leakage Detection and Alert System 15

loads. The motor driver IC is an integrated circuit used to control the speed of the
brushless DC motors in the exhaust fans. The motor driver ICs act as an interface
between the motors in the exhaust fans and the microcontroller. When the gas level is
above the threshold value, the microcontroller sends a low-current signal and outputs a
proportionally higher current signal that can control and drive the motors.
When the motor rotates the exhaust fan blades, the LPG gas is expelled through the
outlet fan while the fresh air is let in through the inlet fan. At the same time, the power
supply to the loads is interrupted via a relay. The alert system is the fourth module
which contains a GSM modem and buzzer. When the LPG level rises above the
threshold value, the alert system starts working together with the prevention system.
The GSM module and buzzer receive a signal from the microcontroller. Here the GSM
modem sends an alert notification to the user via SMS while the buzzer sets off, giving
a buzzing sound.

FLOW CHART

Figure 3: Flow Chart

16 Dr. G. Annapurna et al

RESULT
A. Analysis 1:
When the gas level is less than 400ppm, the outputs are:
1. Loads are ON.
2. Value of the gas is displayed on the LCD screen.

B. Analysis 2:
When the gas level is greater than or equal to 400ppm, the outputs are:
1. Loads are OFF
2. Exhausts fans are turned ON
3. User receives alerts through GSM modules on their phones.
4. LCD displays the value of the gas.
5. Buzzer is turned ON

ANALYSIS 1 OUTPUTS

Figure 4: Loads ON

Figure 5: The gas level displayed on LCD before gas leakage

LPG Gas Leakage Detection and Alert System 17

Figure 6: Exhausts Fans turned ON

Figure 7: Value of gas displayed in ppm

Figure 8: Alert message sent to the user

18 Dr. G. Annapurna et al

Figure 9: Loads off after gas detection

CONCLUSION
Currently, LPG leakage is a major problem in enterprises and households. In this
project, a system is developed to detect LPG leaks and raise the alarm. The gas sensor
detects a gas leak while the Arduino Nano is used to transmit data and signals to the
connected devices. The exhaust fans help to remove the gas, while the GSM module
sends messages to the owner about the gas leak. In this way, the intensity of accidents
is reduced. In addition, the power supply to the loads is interrupted. The system can be
used for both industrial and domestic purposes. This system is effective and
inexpensive, which makes it user-friendly and reliable.

FUTURE SCOPE
For domestic purposes, the performance of the system can be further improved by
interfacing a robot to turn off the cylinder regulator. The buzzer can be replaced with a
speaker for a wider range of the alert system. It is possible to further enhance the
monitoring system by sending alert messages to the user via Bluetooth instead of GSM,
which would enable another real-time application to be supported. It is possible to
develop mobile robots that are capable of detecting multiple gas concentrations in the
vicinity for industrial purposes.

REFERENCES

[1] K Gavaskar, D Malathi, G Ravivarma, A Arulmurugan, “Development of LPG

Leakage Detection Alert and Auto Exhaust System using IoT”, IEEE, February
2021.
LPG Gas Leakage Detection and Alert System 19

[2] Alan M John, Bhavesh Purbia, Ankit Sharma, Mrs A.S Udapurkar, “LPG/CNG
Gas Leakage Detection System with GSM Module”, IJARCCE, Vol. 6, Issue 5,
May 2017.
[3] Sarika K Shinde, Priya R Khore, Ashwini T Hirave, Prof. Vipul R Kaushik, Prof.
Sudhir N Divekar, Dr Vijay N Patil, “Automatic LPG cylinder booking and
leakage detection using Arduino UNO”, IJSRSET,2020.
[4] Mohammad Monirujjaman Khan,” Sensor-based Gas Leakage Detector System”,
engineering proceedings, 14th November 2020.
[5] Arun Raj, Athira Viswanathan, Athults,” LPG Gas Monitoring System”, IJITR,
Feb-March 2015.
[6] Preet S. Jadhwani, Sinchan R. Patil, Tejas S. Shinde, Mrs Sonal Patil,” LPG Gas
Leakage Detection and Alert System using Arduino”, IJRASET, May 2021.
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